This invention relates to power-driven implements for clearing snow from pavement or other relatively smooth surfaces. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved snow thrower having a relatively shock resistant drive system, and a directional vane assembly which is quickly and easily adjusted for deflecting thrown snow to either side of the implement.
Snow throwers in general are relatively well known in the art, and typically comprise a rotatably driven drum carrying one or more horizontally elongated blades. The drum and the blades are positioned whereby the blades pick up snow from a surface such as pavement or the like and throw the snow away from the surface to provide a snow-free cleared path.
Snow throwing implements of the prior art commonly include a suitable driving motor such as an electric motor or gasoline engine portably carried with the unit. This driving motor is connected through suitable speed-reduction apparatus, such as sprocket wheels, to rotatably drive the drum carrying the blades. The sprocket wheels are coupled together for rotation by positive, non-slip drive means such as chains or cog belts to prevent slippage when the implement is used for plowing through deep or heavy snow. However, with these positive drives, the driving connection between the motor and the rotating drum is relatively rigid to result frequently in breakage of the drum, blades, drive belt, or the like whenever relatively large and hard objects such as rocks are encountered.
Prior art snow throwing implements are also commonly provided with a directional deflection assembly for deflecting thrown snow to one side of the implement during use. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,504. Of course, it is desirable to adjust this directional deflection assembly for throwing snow alternately to one side of the implement, and then to the opposite side of the implement during successive passes back and forth over a relatively large area of pavement or the like. To this end, a variety of adjustable directional vane assemblies are found in the prior art. Some of these vane assemblies comprise relatively complicated mechanical structures including rigid vanes pivotable angularly back and forth to provide the desired directional control. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,138,829; 4,138,830; and 4,138,831. Other prior art vane assemblies include flexible vanes which are physically flexed by operation of a mechanical shift carriage for direction of thrown snow to one side of the implement, or to the other side of the implement. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,706,864 and 3,359,661. However, all of these prior art adjustable directional vane assemblies comprise relatively complicated mechanical structures formed from a relatively large number of mechanically movable components.
The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the prior art by providing an improved snow thrower implement including a shock-resistant drive system, and a simplified directional vane assembly which is quickly and easily adjusted for deflecting thrown snow to either side of the implement, as desired.